In this offseason of turmoil at Ohio State, it’s comforting to know there still is something more important than a coach knee deep in NCAA investigations: Who plays quarterback?

After all, no matter what’s swirling around outside the lines, it is still about what happens on the field. Unfortunately for the Buckeyes, this spring has done little to determine who will play the first five games of the season at the most important position on the field while starter Terrelle Pryor serves a five-game suspension.

While Terrelle Pryor serves his suspension, the Buckeyes must find a quarterback to step in. (AP Photo)

There are numerous possibilities for the five-game stretch, but the underlying reality is whoever wins the job will play without three other critical pieces of the offense: TB Dan Herron, WR DeVier Posey and OL Mike Adams, all of whom are also suspended.

Their absence will make it much harder to deal with a group of games that includes a road trip to Miami and the Big Ten opener against Michigan State.

“I wish someone was head and shoulders above another,” head coach Jim Tressel told reporters about his quarterback competition. “I kind of vacillate each day.”

Once he decides, it will be interim coach Luke Fickell on the sideline early on while Tressel is benched along with his players.

Unless there’s a major move this summer (and during fall camp) from midterm enrollee freshman Braxton Miller, expect senior Joe Bauserman or sophomore Kenny Guiton to get the first shot at the starting job. Those two have been battling redshirt freshman Taylor Graham and Miller all spring for the spot.

Each has had good days, and each has had plenty of inconsistencies. Miller, an elite recruit who spurned offers from Alabama, Florida and Notre Dame to sign with the Buckeyes, is making typical freshman mistakes – but also showing flashes of big-time potential.

Remember that it didn’t take long for Tressel to work Pryor into the starting lineup as a freshman in 2008, even though the Buckeyes returned starter Todd Boeckman – who had led the Buckeyes to the BCS National Championship Game the year before. So a big performance from Miller in Saturday’s spring game, and more improvement over the summer, will translate to more playing time in the fall.

While he is clearly the most gifted of the four quarterbacks, his knowledge of the offense, college defenses and speed of the college game is also the least sophisticated.

“What you are trying to develop is that consistency over time,” Tressel said. “And I think it’s critical that by the end of 15 (spring) practices, that we do start thinking about some sort of a pecking order. Because when we get back in August, the repetitions are going to be diluted a little bit because Terrelle will be back in there.”